Lantern
by Bronycuddlykittehs
Summary: Luminescence. Luma, Light. Essence. Not just a object generating something, but the 'Essence' of a person. Luminescence Wonder has spent her life among spirits, a blind child with only limited ability to see the true relm. She has but a special Lantern to guide her viewing; and with spirits chatting in her ears, following her, she lives as simple a life she can. A lonely one.
1. Shopping

_In. Out. In. Out._

**Luminesce, If that's how I should address you MISS, stop being so rude and pay attention! I'll pay you in-**

Luminesce ignored the "Red" Cutie marked spirit, and kept her steady practice in ignoring the world that dominated all but a plate size of her vision, and kept plucking out the ripe tomatoes from Golden Harvest's buckets.

_In. Out. In….._

**If there is someone you should be rude too, it's my brother there-**

**IT'S REDMOUND, YOU INSOLENT-**

**Call me Blutarch…and as I am more patient then my foolish, idiotic, lesser brother; Do me a favor and open that viewing window of yours larger, and move it toward me…..of course, I'll pay you double!**

_ …._

Shakingly, she handed her grocery bag to the concerned looking mare.

**No no! Triple that of Austrianiamum!**

"Please, in the name of Luna and Celestia, shove it with your hooves, and leave me kindly alone", shouted the unamused earth pony, angrily dropping her groceries everywhere.

Of course, her yelling was not unnoticed by the other ponies of the downtown Manehatten, as they all turned to stare, questioning who or what she could be yelling at with such ill-disguised displeasure.

Golden Harvest simply shrugged away, fraying ignorance of the person she was assuming a mental patient. _Then again, _She thought, _I'll let her off when everyone forgets it tomorrow, it's a cruel sin against Equestrian Honor otherwise.(_She told herself this thinking of her other common visitor who she would foolishly relate to Luminescence, the unnamed "barking" pony and her guard)

To that, they received no answers; for this embarrassed and flushed earth pony avoided their gazes and attempted to return to her shopping.

Her eyes shifted down to the list, that she had to raise directly in front of her viewing area.

_If there's one thing to thank myself for, it's that at least the spirits' darkness of a  
"world" it more of what I see, and I don't have to see everyone's faces._

…

_Even if I need to be engulfed in loneness to do so…_


	2. Allyway

Walking in the city streets concealed by a robe, Star walks down Manehattan, trying his best not to stick out to the Pony folk that he does find most annoying.

"ugh, why am I even out at daytime...everypony irks me anyways..."

But alas, Star has to perform some shopping for his hideout, as with his recent residing of the pony named Maria, he was forced to live the city life after her disappearance.

That life also includes the city food. He shivers at the thought of Maria suddenly vanishing, but moves on to finish what he needs to.

Rushing to finish the day's shopping without excess to her favorite (and thankfully, usually indifferent) shopkeeper, Luminescence; whom from now on will be referred to as Lumi; was forced to take a different Route to speed up her movement.

No one who lived in downtown Manehattan found it very clever too stay out in the nighttime, and someone with as limited a 'grip on reality' as Lumi needed people sneaking up from anywhere but directly in front of her.

Conveniently, she noticed she had just pushed past a (fairly angry, telling by the faint ripples of deeper bright colors emanating around him from his pastel-light shape. Feelings were, even as subtle shades like envy, obvious in her always Lantern-based vision) cloaked colt, and he made a annoyed grumble in her general direction.

_Better to apologize then risks making an older colt angry, especially at a young 'mare' like me._

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to offend you with my shove! I'm just in a hurry, she told him in a apologetic tone, best we all get on our way, no one likes night out here, eh?".

Star was about to scold the strange filly, only until after the words "night" hit his ears. Only then did his face turned from anger to shock.

"Night...The night is a beautiful time of our lifespan, filly. It's filled with great wonders, great beauty, and fascinating details you will never see in the day. What, with all these ponies around, you could never fully cherish what we were given. It is night, that we actually know what is our true calling. For the day is for the blind, but the night is for the keen."

Star helps the filly with her stuff, and takes off his hood, only revealing his face, risking dangers.

"I'm not angry, If you are in a rush, I see no reason as to why I shouldn't be shoved. Usually, I have a deep hate for ponies, but that applies to adult ponies. Foals always intrigue me" he says with a calm tone and a smile.

"But why are you in such a rush? Is the night really that scary?" He says with a bit of chuckle behind his voice.

_Doesn't seem that dangerous, nor offended, _Lumi thought, _Though, I should note his strange issue with adults_

"Well…..if you don't realize, night in Manehatten isn't because it's night, its' because everyone prefers to sleep at night, especially the enforcement. At the same time, the gangs and "Cruel" ponies come out at night to do their dirty work, and it's never safe anywhere for someone small, like me, to be out here", Lumi explained, hiding her slightly disagreeing tone.

Lumi never exactly liked addressing herself in a nonpowerful way. In that respect, that was the only thing she never had aged with as she grew into being a young filly out on her own; the unrealistically large ego.

**Oooooo Maybe you could be matched with that man as your lover? I mean, it's not completely ideal, but as a matchmaker, I must remind myself; Anything can be with anything, as long as it looks CUTE!**

_Best not to reminiscence for too long, _she warned herself, _or I may remember what was 'wrong' with mother and father 'dear'_

**But then again, it's been YEARS since I could visit the bubble, and even then the wall isn't there anymore. Never was. But maybe I could just pick you out a different person, one I'm completely certain is you match...**

Realizing her quiet nature may be scaring the colt, she shook his hand, and quickly sprinted toward the shop on the street, the one she had been looking for.

**WAIT UP! **

_Would not think of it…but it doesn't matter anyway because-_

**DON'T WORRY ABOUT SLOWING DOWN I CAN KEEP UP!**

However, the spirits that had been bothering her while she reminisced could not be outran, so while she attempted to pick her new tomatoes for a recipe, she breathed as deeply as she could, in a steady rhythm.

…**.**

"oh? Quite sorry, you seem to just stand there and apparently doze off into your own imagination. That's the beauty of foals. They have such powerful imagination! It always intrigue me to see one, let alone talk to one."

Star looks down at the filly, seeming so eager in a sense. What is she so eager about? Doesn't she have a loving mother and father waiting for her? These questions teased Star's mind, and just couldn't hold them in the very confines any longer:

"I don't mean to sound like a pest, kid, but don't you have a mother and father worried sick for you?"

Star looks up, only to notice night really is appearing faster than expected, and that the streets are clearing out and losing its infamous congestion.

"If you want...do you want me to take you home?"\

-_%_%%%_%%%%_!_!_!

_That pause…..wait a minute….._

It was then that she realized that she had somehow imagined going away to get the groceries, when really the spirit had been moving her (and quite eagerly) toward the colt when he had wandered.

She hoped that she didn't have to act strange to a stranger, which was worse than doing so too a friend.(which she regrettably lacked, save a few friendly acquaintances)

Friends forgive and forget.

Strangers don't care, but they certainly will spread a tale.

_At least it's night, _she noted, looking toward the sky.

_Night….For the love of Equestria!_

"If you want...do you want me to take you home", he asks Lumi, wondering if she was daydreaming while she spoke of groceries and dealing with them, while he thinks of her strange lack of adults accompanying her. Nothing was more obvious as an orphan then a little girl with a strangely grown attitude.

_Not the best satiation, but anything's better than trying to walk all the way to the near-end of Downtown Manehatten, with no groceries for the week. Doesn't seem like he's going to turn me in, either._

_One could hope, though, that he isn't._

**AND HOPEFULLY, YOUR COSIDERING MY REQUEST OF VIEWING AS REPAYMENT?**

_I didn't want your matchmaking, miss…?_

**I forgot. It was the name of a flower, I think. **

_Right….That's helpful! Kindly leave me be, and I might consider your request,_ thought Lumi hastily, hoping the strange symbol cutie marked spirit would leave her be. Thankfully, spirits both feared and desired her, so she left her be.

_Wish I could drive em' away that easily…._

In the meantime, she was also trying to respond to the cloaked colt. But first…..

"What's your name, anyway?"

"Star Strider"

"Luminescence Wonder, at your service", she offered, giving a elegant bow in a mocking manner.

_Best to act more like a child if I'm being entered into a home like a child._


	3. A (mid?)night stroll

Star thinks to himself for a bit,

**this girl literately stands still for minutes on end without a great reason...either she's a really heavy thinker, or she's just weird.**

With that, the last of the sun goes away. The city lights illuminate the area giving the street a synthetic glow.

"well umm...lumins- lumii... you know, I'll just call you Lumi to save me hesitation. So Lumi, do you want me to take you home? Night hit, and apparently you don't find it so swell", He says, lacking a tone, or at least one with gusto.

He really has nothing better to do other than crawl up in his den without food since he missed the market.

Luminescence, officially named Lumi, she replies,

"Shure. Don't mind me asking, but could you tell me why you have such a dislike of elders?"

_The best way to hear a secret_, she reminds herself, _is to show a "secret"_

Before he even reacts, she takes a quick glance around before looking him square in the eyes.

All Star can see is her pupil-less eyes, and he simply focuses on them before she turns her gaze to the ground again.

_Secret is a relative term. Even something that isn't what is, too you, a fact you should hide….if they don't know yet, it's a secret to them._

Star was perplexed by those eyes. They don't have any pupils! If they did, he would never hear of gray pupils. Star can only come up with two explanations: Either this filly is not a filly at all but a witch (which is preposterous) or that her perception isn't a perception at all...

"I would enjoy to...but..."

_No, no asking. If she was blind, it should be the parents ordeal to take care of it. But then again, how did she come on the street so easily? GAAH this is hard!_

Star finally sighs from his internal feud, only to come with an answer.

"The reason why I do not like adults too much is because they are lying deceivers. Anyone and everyone can be your best friend, and the next minute you know, they grab a knife and STAB you in the back!"

Star emphasized the "stab" to capitalize his reason, giving a few pants due to the excess effort to emphasize such a word.

"but, children have such innocence. I enjoy watching them play, watching them laugh, watching them have fun. In a sense, I'm almost a kid in myself...my old marefriend taught me that...I wish she was still here..."

A tear came out of Star's eye, but wipes it away and only has a brief blank face, before coming back to reality.

"I'm really concerned for you Lumi, you are out here alone, your eyes are of a strange deal, and your parents must be head over hoof! If anything, I promise to take you home safely. It's my job anyways to defend..."

"….Defend. Like Celestia?"

Star shut his mouth after that, even to foals, nobody not close must not know THAT secret.

"I don't have a clue why your being so quiet about honor to Celestia. Though, it never mattered that much to me…."

'_It doesn't matter much' is definitely a truth from me, and hopefully he will believe me. Besides, Celestia never noticed a seer, so either she isn't worth "our" time or I'm crazy._

**Don't consider yourself crazy.**

She ignored the nearby orange descendant. Though, as a child in manehatten, she was lucky that was easy; seeing as any descendant of the orange family was an important one.

"Thank you for your consideration for me, I appreciate it….and I'm sorry for your marefriend….", she cuts off, a tear falling from her eye too.

_Changeling bastards….._

"I'll tell you all about myself when we get to your home. I have one true thing in common with you, though"

"What would that be, little Lumi?", he asks with a gentle kindness in his voice

"…..I don't trust people very much with my secrets. But only with my secrets."

Not wanting to have her own equivalent sort of speech about her attitude toward people, and as the situation had not warranted it, she left it at that.

Star begins to feel like this filly is slowly tying strings around him, soon to make the wood so those strings can be pulled like a puppet. This filly is clever; nothing like he has ever seen before. He's concerned about the blindness, but what if that is deemed a secret? He didn't want to lose her trust, because then he would feel like a lying deceiver that he so dearly hates, thus making him a hypocrite, which he truly hates with a burning passion.

He'll reflect on the ideal of Celestia, that's nothing of secret:

"I hate Celestia. She thinks that equestria is a 'utopia', not capable of harm or crime. She is a tyrant if all, sitting on her throne, laughing her flank off shooting people to the moon. Luna feels more in tuned with the ponies. And with such, she has created clans which are established under her rules and not Celestias.

"As much as I am indifferent to our goddess, you might be judging her unfairly-"

Celestia plans to destroy us, which is why our dens are hidden in sec..."

"….."

Just in that, Star shut up good. This filly just made him spill another secret, and this secret could cost him the clan and his way of life.

He looks down at the filly in a pleading tone:

"Whatever I told you today, please do not tell to anyone."

And with that, he decided to change subject right fast.

Lumi noticed the nervous affect coming off his body, and made the classic sign of "my muzzle is sealed".

"Now, do you want to right beside me, or on my back?"

Maybe giving a bit of pampering will make the child forget. Children's attention spans only last for so long. He was all too right, for as much as Lumi was careful to act adult-ish in action and childish in her speaking(well…not really. She was a rambler, certainly, but acted way too intelligent), she was susceptible to a short amount of memory.

The funny thing was, she hadn't forgotten. She simply had already decided he had accidentally told to much of a secret. And one that many (accepting the considerably friendly princesses) would consider heresy on many accounts.

"You're lucky I like you…. and that the princess has played so little in my life to earn little more than the height of a mostly ignored sun goddess"

_Well…this will be interesting. Interesting and fun. Maybe, just maybe, I might not be lonely for long._


End file.
